Once again, white privilege rears its ugly head. This is an imaginary injustice that leads to an actual injustice: when these people think the dark races of the Congo need "saving." The only thing they need to be saved from is these people.

The Americans' ignorance of the Congo isn't entirely their fault. It's also the fault of the American media, making the Congolese out to be communists or carefree bums.

Just because they can't read doesn't mean they're stupid. The Congolese people are able to craft a rudimentary political system using what they know—and how is that any different, really, for waving flags or showing lots of white picket fences in your political ads?